'Manager Kim' Seo Su-min: "So Ji-sub's dad, his halo is crazy... He gave me a DAY6 autograph on my birthday and I cried" [Interview ③]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Seo Su-min (19) shared personal stories related to 'Manager Kim'.

On the 27th, Seo Su-min met with StarNews at a café on Hak-dong-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for an interview about SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Manager Kim' (written by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun).

'Manager Kim' is a father-universe revenge action drama where the world's most ordinary father becomes the world's most dangerous man to reclaim his only daughter. The series launched with a 9.5% viewership rating in its first episode, then reached 21.6% within four episodes, marking a new milestone as the first SBS Friday-Saturday drama in two years to surpass the 20th% threshold. In its final episode (episode 10) aired on the 25th, it achieved a peak viewership rating of 23.1%, proving its phenomenon status (Nielsen Korea nationwide). 'Manager Kim' successively surpassed records set by past SBS Friday-Saturday dramas such as 'Stove League', 'Taxi Driver Season 2', and 'The Fiery Priest', securing the second-highest viewership record among all SBS Friday-Saturday dramas.

Its global box office performance was also dazzling. 'Manager Kim' held the number one spot in Netflix's non-English TV show category globally for three consecutive weeks, demonstrating its worldwide popularity. Additionally, it topped the TV-OTT drama trendiness chart for three consecutive weeks and dominated the top tier of actor-related buzz, achieving dominance across viewership ratings, global popularity, and public discussion.

In the drama, Seo Su-min made her first drama challenge as Kim Min-ji, the daughter of Manager Kim (played by So Ji-sub). She delicately portrayed Min-ji's multifaceted emotions, from the realistic depiction of a teenage girl to the fear and anxiety in an unexpected crisis, and the desperation to survive until the end. Especially during the early episodes where sorrow and affection coexisted toward her father, through scenes enduring extreme situations after being kidnapped, and up to the moment she finally faced her father again, Seo naturally conveyed the character's emotional shifts, enhancing audience immersion.

-Which character in 'Manager Kim' resembles actual actor Seo Su-min's father?

▶Among the roles, I think Park Jin-cheol (played by Yoon Kyung-ho) is similar to my real-life senior Max-hoon.

-Which senior actors would you like to act with in the future?

▶I want to act with senior Kim Go-eun and senior Lee Hye-young. I admire senior Kim Go-eun for her wide spectrum of acting across various genres. I also hope to take on roles like a student with secrets, similar to 'The Witch'.

-There are rumors that you resemble actor Kim Da-mi.

▶I really want to act with senior Kim Da-mi. Since she is such an excellent actress, I would love to meet her at least once.

-What if there is a 'Manager Kim' season 2?

▶Even if I don't appear, I think I will continue to support it. Since I read the webtoon in middle school, I am looking forward to seeing how fun season 2 might be.

-What kind of actor do you want to become in the future?

▶I want to become famous and be remembered by people for a long time. I hope to always remain humble.

-Since 'Manager Kim' was successful, you are going on a reward vacation.

▶I started filming 'Manager Kim' while in high school, so I couldn't go on graduation trips with my parents and friends. I am grateful to be receiving this reward vacation now.

-Your real name is 'Park Su-min', but why is your stage name 'Seo Su-min'?

▶To match my name, I chose a surname containing the consonant 'ㅅ' (siot).

-What kind of student were you in high school?

▶I was an ordinary student who sometimes ordered food delivery at school, ate together with teachers, and participated in club competitions. I was part of the computer club and had a strong interest in computers before acting.

-Is there any memorable comment you received regarding 'Manager Kim'?

▶The comment "Min-ji, when are you going to eat?" left the deepest impression on me.

-How do you want to communicate with fans in the future?

▶Since many people liked 'Manager Kim', I would like to share many behind-the-scenes photos.

-Before meeting through 'Manager Kim', how did you know about actor So Ji-sub?

▶I thought he was an extremely talented senior, so I worried that I might hinder his acting. When we met on set, he warmly took care of me and made me feel like I could rely on him as a father, which made acting easier. I have seen 'Master's Sun', 'Sorry, I Love You', and 'Only You' to some extent and know their plots. So Ji-sub senior has an incredible halo. I thought, "Actors are truly different." From the first day of filming, I was extremely nervous because I felt I couldn't make mistakes, but he gave me strawberry candy and said, "Let's work hard," which helped me calm down immediately so I could film.

-What title did you use to address actor So Ji-sub?

▶At first, I called him 'senior', but gradually I started calling him 'dad'.

-Your profile mentions being a fan of the singer group DAY6 and silica gel.

▶That's correct. My birthday fell during filming, and So Ji-sub senior kindly came over saying, "Here, this is your gift," and gave me an autographed DAY6 item. As soon as I received it, I cried. It seems that senior not only treated me like a daughter while acting but also in other ways, which helped us portray the father-daughter relationship well. In return, I made him some desserts like financiers and cookies. Senior Yoon Kyung-ho and senior Max-hoon have children, so I shared marshmallows I had purchased with them. During the final filming, So Ji-sub senior reportedly gave gifts to staff and actors; when I opened it later, it was gold. At first, I thought, "What is this? Is it a toy?" Then I exclaimed, "This is amazing!" I don't think I will ever use that gold with such precious memories.

-As 'Manager Kim' concluded, what advice did you receive from seniors?

▶I was told, "I hope you become a shining actor," and "I hope your passion for acting continues in the future."

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*This content was translated by AI.